With Great Power
by IzumiTheMoogle
Summary: [Pre-Shippuden] He and Naruto were cornered. Outclassed. Beaten. But Shikamaru swore this mission wouldn't end like the last one. Even if it meant he had to be the reckless one for a change. (Shikamaru/Naruto friendship)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Wow, its been… a while. I've been away from FanFiction for far too long. Hopefully I'll be able to continue with the unfinished business I've left on my page at some point, but for now have this short story! This plot bunny has been brewing in my head for months, so I'm finally putting all the notes I've jotted down together to form a (somewhat) coherent story!

 **Rating: T** (for some language and violence and good ol' angst)

 **Pairings:** NONE (strictly friendship/family-ship between all characters)

 **Timeline:** This story takes place pre-Shippuden, right before Naruto would go off to train with Jiraiya.

 **Disclaimer:** I obviously don't own Naruto. (because why would I write fanficiton if I did?)

* * *

"You guys go on ahead. Get back to the village."

"Don't try and play the hero right now Shikamaru!" Ino yelled.

"Do you really think we'd just leave you-" Kiba started to growl.

"Yes, I do. It's an order from your squad leader." Shikamaru's voice took on a hard edge that shocked the group into silence for a moment. The wind whipped against their faces as they raced back to the Leaf. Shikamaru sighed. "Look, I know it's a drag, but it's the only thing we can do right now. Lady Tsunade needs to be warned about this guy."

"So just send one of us back!" Naruto said, brow creasing. "The rest of us can stay and help you fight!"

"That's not possible now. I can't risk sending one of you off alone and getting ambushed. Besides… I think I'm the only one who can fight him with any chance of holding him off."

"But… Alone?" Ino asked, exasperated.

"He's from a clan that possesses a very powerful paralysis jutsu. Taking all of our abilities into consideration, I think my Shadow Possession is the only thing that could even hope to slow him down."

"But Shikamaru, that Ueno guy has all sorts of cronies with him too." Choji added worriedly. "Even if you were able to fight him on his own, it'd be insane to try and hold them all."

"… I know." Shikamaru considered his friend's point. It was valid. " _I'm already going to be out of my league with just Ueno…"_

"So let at least one of us stay!" Kiba urged. "We can back you up! Take care of all those other faceless jerks." Akamaru yipped in agreement.

Shikamaru's jaw tightened. He knew they didn't have much more time to discuss the matter before trouble caught up with them. "… Fine."

He halted on a tree branch, signaling with his arm for the rest of the squad to follow suit. After a moment of consideration, Shikamaru turned around and scanned his friends' determined faces.

"Naruto. I don't know how many goons this guy is packing, but I'm sure it'll be more than I can handle alone. Your Shadow Clones seem to give you the biggest advantage when dealing with groups. Whaddya say?" He smirked. "Help me clean up this mess?"

"Hell yeah!" Naruto pumped his fists in the air, a fiery blaze in his eyes. "Those freaks won't know what hit 'em!"

Kiba crossed his arms in an obvious pout. Shikamaru knew how competitive the Inuzuka could be with the Leaf's number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja.

"If you think Naruto is the man for the job, then he is." Choji said.

"Show those asshats a thing or two, Naruto!" Ino said with a grim smile. Her brow furrowed. "Just be careful. I know how crazy you can get. And Shikamaru-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it Ino." Shikamaru had been scrawling a message on a piece of parchment. He folded it up and handed it to Choji. "Make sure the Hokage gets this, Choji. It's vital to dismantling this coup he's planning."

"Right." Choji nodded and carefully tucked the paper away in his pants pocket.

"Naruto and I will attempt to hold Ueno off until reinforcements can come. Guess I don't have to tell you guys, but time is of the essence. We're counting on you."

"Don't worry about a thing, Squad Leader!" Kiba grinned. "We won't let you down. Just watch it out there."

Shikamaru nodded and gave his team one last smile before seriousness settled back onto his face. "Get going!"

With that command, the three Genin scattered, leaving Naruto and Shikamaru holding their ground in the trees.

"I think I can already hear them." Naruto muttered, cracking his knuckles. "Bring it on."

"Remember what I said, Naruto. Ueno is not your immediate concern. You worry about the goons. Keep your distance from him for as long as you can. If you get caught in his paralysis, there's nothing I can do."

"I got it." Naruto nodded. "I'll keep your back safe from the lackeys." He locked eyes with Shikamaru. "But as soon as I'm done with them, I'm coming to help you. Don't do anything stupid."

Shikamaru snorted. " _You're_ telling _me_ that?" He gave his attention back to the incoming attack. "I appreciate it. But don't worry about that. I'm not prone to heroics like you."

"Heyy, what-"

"They're coming!"

* * *

"You must be the squad leader." Ueno smiled slowly, eyeing Shikamaru's vest. "Sent off your little friend to take on all of my men? That wasn't a very wise choice, young Chuunin."

Shikamaru smirked. "Maybe not. But maybe it wasn't wise for you to underestimate a Leaf ninja."

Ueno scoffed. "Ah, they really have you trained well, don't they… With all that 'Will of Fire' nonsense. I don't think you understand how many young promising ninja have had their lives cut short by that sense of overconfidence instilled in them from the Leaf." His smile grew wide. "But I suppose you'll understand soon."

"You sure do like to talk a lot." Shikamaru muttered. "Why do people like you always have to go on about your evil plans?"

Ueno threw his head back and laughed. "This isn't a plan, young ninja. It's in motion. The dominoes are already falling."

"And I suppose my squad and I are just some of those dominoes."

"Oh, don't flatter yourself." Ueno launched himself at Shikamaru.

Startled into action, the young Nara leaped backward, pulling out a kunai in defense. _"Don't lock eyes with him. You'll have to rely on your peripheral for this one."_

Ueno propelled his fist forward towards the boy. As Shikamaru pulled his kunai up to deflect the blow, Ueno used his other hand to grab his wrist and pull it back. Shocked, Shikamaru had barely a second to respond as Ueno's fist met with his exposed stomach. Pain shot up his body and forced him to gag, blood and bile in his throat.

As his body ricocheted backward from the force of the blow, Shikamaru used his left hand to mirror Ueno, grabbing hold of the arm that just made contact with him. Ueno blinked in surprise as he felt himself freeze in place. Shikamaru's mouth curved in a grim smile as his shadow began wrapping itself around his adversary. "Shadow Strangle Jutsu…" He began to push back against Ueno's grip with the hand that still firmly held the kunai knife.

"Sneaky." Ueno hissed. He searched Shikamaru's face, trying to make solid eye contact, but the boy's gaze darted around.

Ueno pushed back against Shikamaru's shadow. The young Nara struggled to keep his shadow wrapped around the man's arm, but it began to inch backward. Sweat ran down his face and his teeth clenched together painfully. Finally, Shikamaru felt the black line connecting him to his adversary snap. Ueno pulled out of Shikamaru's grip and wheeled his leg around to slam hard into the Leaf ninja's side.

Shikamaru cried out in pain as, all at once, his shadow returned to him and he was sent flying to the side, making contact with the ground painfully. Dirt and rubble sprayed out from the point of impact.

Shikamaru coughed jaggedly, blood dotting the earth beneath him. He hoisted himself up to his elbows, then shakily to his knees.

"Ah, what's the matter? What happened to all that 'Will of Fire' bravado you were so full of earlier?"

"Go to hell." Shikamaru choked out, barely audible.

"No points for originality there." Ueno shrugged. "It looks like you have some talent as a ninja though. I must admit, I didn't expect you to be able to hold me for so long."

" _Keh. It was for barely 20 seconds…"_ Shikamaru thought as he wobbled up to his feet, facing the rogue ninja once more. " _How did it come to this_..." He took a deep breath to steady himself. " _Damn this guy anyway, we were so close to getting back to the Leaf_."

Ueno's gaze fixed on Shikamaru. The young Leaf nervously trained his eyes away from those of his counterpart's, choosing to focus on his feet instead. Ueno seemed intrigued, "Oh, you've already grasped my technique. Clever for your age, aren't you."

"Kohaku Ueno," Shikamaru stated, eyes narrowing. "I don't mean to toot my own horn, but your technique is obvious."

Ueno laughed, "Obvious, huh? Get off your high horse. Typical Nara." Shikamaru's eyes widened in surprise. Ueno clicked his tongue at the boy. "Are you really so surprised that I would know, shadow thief?" His gaze grew animalistic, a sneer curling along his lips, "You are the spitting image of Shikaku after all."

"Sounds like you're not the biggest fan of my dad." Shikamaru smirked.

"You could say that I suppose. But it goes for all the Nara, really. Guess there was only room for one paralysis jutsu in the Leaf Village."

Ueno suddenly threw a fistful of shuriken Shikamaru's way, startling the boy into action. He jumped into the air, stiffening when he heard Ueno's voice right behind him: "So how about I send a little present to Shikaku, hm?" He swung a leg down hard on Shikamaru's shoulder. The Chuunin cried out in pain and flew back to the forest floor with a loud crash. Ueno landed gracefully behind him. "I think I'll bring his son's corpse back to the Leaf Village. Wouldn't that just be fitting?"

"Damn..." Shikamaru coughed, more blood dotting the grass. Pain bloomed in his shoulder, and he made the grim realization that it was probably dislocated. He struggled up to his knees, vision going in and out of focus. " _This isn't good_..." He thought, " _He's been beating the snot out of me. It's all I can do to not get caught in his paralysis_."

He thought of his comrades, making their way back to the Leaf. He'd hoped the message he gave Choji was urgent enough to make the boy realize that time was of the essence. And Naruto... That idiot was probably still fighting Ueno's cronies. In the back of his mind, Shikamaru hoped the kid hadn't bitten off more than he could chew. " _Then again_..." He thought tiredly, " _Maybe I shouldn't worry about him... If things continue, I'm screwed. If backup doesn't come from the Leaf in time._.." He got back up to his feet, sparing a hateful glance in Ueno's direction.

"What could you possibly do now, Nara? Tell you what, if you give up right now, I promise I'll make your death quick-" The rogue ninja froze in his spot, shocked. A long black line of shadow extended out from Shikamaru's feet to his. The Leaf ninja smiled mockingly.

"No, I think you should give up."

"I should give up, huh?" Ueno muttered through clenched teeth. "That Leaf hubris will indeed be the death of you, boy."

Shikamaru's hands suddenly started to shake as an unfamiliar frozen feeling started to crawl over his consciousness. " _What's going on…My body-"_ His panicked mind spun.

"Surprised?" Ueno grinned. "For a Nara, I'm disappointed. I thought you had already grasped what a danger my technique is to yours."

"Wait, so this whole time…" Shikamaru thought aloud, his mouth going dry when the gears clicked together. His hands were forced apart, and he stood up with jerky slow movements, trying to resist.

"You did put up more of a fight than I thought." Ueno shrugged. "But in the end, all I had to do was wait for you to ever so kindly extend your shadow to me. My paralysis is tricky that way."

"Then, why didn't you… Before…"

"I was having a bit of fun! And I will admit I was caught off guard for about half a second. You might have become a skilled ninja if you never ran into me. Alas, fate is cruel."

Ueno pulled a short slender katana out from his weapon holster. He flipped it around in his hand skillfully. It shimmered in a way that made Shikamaru's stomach clench. Connected by shadow, the young Genin mirrored his foe's movements and pulled a kunai out of his own holster.

Ueno looked briefly at the blade in his hand, cradling the tip gently with his gloved hand. "This katana is special. I'm sure you've already noticed the particular way it gleams." Looking back up at Shikamaru, Ueno smirked. "It's coated with a mixture of venoms from several extremely poisonous spiders." He noticed the way Shikamaru paled. "I'm sure you understand what happens next. I estimate that it will take ten minutes at most to kill you."

Shikamaru squirmed as hard as he could, trying to at least loosen the grip Ueno held on his shadow. The man began walking towards him, forcing Shikamaru to do the same. The steps were agonizing, and Shikamaru's brain spun trying to think of a solution.

Suddenly Ueno stopped and cocked his head to the side. "Ohh… It would seem your little friend is coming to save you. I must admit, I didn't expect he would deal with all my men."

Shikamaru's stomach lurched to his throat. Naruto! How could he have forgotten? The orange-clad shinobi didn't know that Ueno's paralysis was eye-based. If he came launching out right now…

"Stop it right there, you bastard!" A familiar voice bounced off of the trees as Naruto jumped through an opening above them. A blue ball of swirling chakra whirred in his hands.

" _That must be the Rasengan I've heard so much about…"_ Shikamaru thought. He took in the boy's scratched face and torn clothes. " _Beating those guys must have taken a lot out of him… He doesn't stand a chance-!"_

Ueno turned his body to face Naruto, who was barreling down at him full speed. He smiled with a calm expectation, body language almost welcoming the blow. Shikamaru's body turned in the same way, and his heart pounded in his ears. His eyes darted to the long black shadow still holding them together, then widened as the realization hit him. _"Shit."_

Naruto's glare pierced Ueno's own amused stare as he came down with the Rasengan. He glanced to his left to where Shikamaru was standing. In the moments after the fight, he would recall the last few seconds before hitting Ueno with the Rasengan when time seemed to slow down. He could just barely register the look of panic on his squad leader's face before the Rasengan plowed into Ueno's stomach.

The rogue ninja's feet planted firmly on the ground as he met the attack head on. His feet created skid tracks as the force of the blow pushed him back. Rasengan's final burst caused Ueno to stagger backward, clutching his burned stomach. He wavered on his feet for a moment before gaining his bearings. Head hanging down, Ueno's mouth slowly grew into a smile and a deep rumbling laughter started to shake his body.

Naruto flipped back into a defensive stance, chest heaving. " _Rasengan didn't even knock him down…"_ His teeth clenched. Something about the man's laughter made his skin crawl. "Shikamaru, are you-" Words died in the Genin's mouth as he looked at his friend.

Shikamaru's head hung low, back hunched, entire body shaking with the effort of staying upright. His hands hovered over his stomach. A large circular pattern had ripped through his Chuunin vest, edges charred as if burned. The mark was unmistakable, but Naruto's mind was frozen in incomprehension. He opened and closed his mouth in attempts to speak. Shikamaru raised his head, face screwed up in a pained glare. Naruto suddenly remembered Ueno. The man's laughter was now almost overpowering, and the cackle jarred Naruto's brain into grim realization.

"Ahh, what deliciously cruel irony!" Ueno yelled in between laughs. "That is indeed an impressive move, kid, for someone of your… stature." He wiped a speck of blood from his lip.

"No, I… I couldn't have-" Naruto's eyes trailed a shadow leading to his friend, and his heart fell into his stomach. "I-I didn't mean to… Shikamaru, you…"

"Oh, of course you didn't mean to." Ueno chided the blonde ninja. "It's an interesting double-edged sword, that Nara shadow thievery. They can feel everything the one they're attached to can. The only thing keeping him standing right now is my grip on his shadow. Quite the marionette."

"Son of a bitch…" Blood dripped from Shikamaru's mouth as he spoke. His voice was hoarse and weak. "That was… a coward's tactic."

"Don't talk to me about tactics, boy." Ueno made eye contact with Shikamaru, grinning. "Ahh, no longer evading my eyes, huh? I guess there's not much point to it anymore. Facing your fate like a hopeless fly caught in the spider's web." He brandished the blade still firmly in his hand.

Naruto's anguish quickly turned to anger as he caught the gleam off Ueno's blade. His fists shook in rage as he turned back to face the man. "You… Don't you dare take another step towards him!" Naruto stepped protectively in front of Shikamaru.

Ueno looked at Naruto in amused surprise. "That's an awfully loyal and sweet sentiment, young Leaf. But I wouldn't have to take another step to finish off your half dead friend there if I _really_ wanted to." At Naruto's confused expression, the man continued. "If I was really feeling tragic…" He flipped the long katana in his hand around so its tip pointed toward his own heart. "I could just end myself. We're still connected you see. It'd be that easy."

Naruto's heart pounded, panic rising in his throat. He took a step forward. "Don't-!"

"Oh please." Ueno turned the blade back around. "Drama is one thing, but I would much rather be alive to watch my triumphant takeover of the Leaf."

Naruto shot forward at Ueno, fist reared. "You'll never even get close!"

"Naruto, stop!" Shikamaru winced in pain as he tried to move forward, encumbered by his wounds and Ueno's continuing hold on his shadow.

"Not as clever as your friend, are you?" Ueno's harsh gaze pierced Naruto's own, and suddenly he couldn't move. The young Leaf struggled to break free, earning a chuckle from Ueno. "You are feisty, though."

Shikamaru stumbled backward, Ueno's grip loosening on his shadow. He tried to keep on his trembling feet, but pain pulsed from the Rasengan's mark and he crumbled to his knees with a gasp, clutching his stomach.

"Shikamaru…" Naruto tried to look back at his friend, eyes panicked.

"What did I tell you? Ueno drawled. "My jutsu was the only thing keeping him up." His eyes moved back to Shikamaru, who was trying to control his breathing amidst the pain, and he smiled contentedly. "Bringing your corpse to your father won't take any time at all now, will it?"

Naruto growled, pushing against Ueno's hold in a rush of adrenaline. Ueno twitched in surprise as the young Leaf began to break through his control. He stepped forward physically, forcing Naruto to retract his movement.

"Keh…" A bead of sweat slid down Ueno's face. "You are just full of surprise, aren't you? Guess I can't mess around much longer."

Ueno kicked him straight up, nailing Naruto in the jaw and sending him flying back with a stifled cry.

"Naruto…!" Shikamaru grunted. Watching Ueno advance on his friend with the blade of spider venom sent his brain spinning for solutions. His body still refused to listen to the furious commands of his head, exhausted to a breaking point. Shikamaru's eyes flitted down to the kunai still clutched firmly in his left hand. _"Damn it… There's no other way…"_

Naruto struggled to sit up, held down by the extra gravity of Ueno's paralysis. The older man stepped down on the blonde Leaf's arm, eliciting a groan of pain.

"Unlike those shadow thieves…" He gestured to Shikamaru with his head. "My clan's jutsu doesn't leave me open to my opponent's injuries. More than a convenience, as I'm sure you've noticed." He hoisted the katana in the air. "Goodbye, foolish boy."

* * *

 **A/N:** Because what's a good welcome back fanfic without a little cliffy, eh?

At any rate, I hope you guys like it so far. I have most everything written out, so I'll be regular with updates. This one shouldn't be more than a few chapters.

I'd like to thank every one of you who reviewed and PMed me and (im)patiently waited for my return for all these years! I hope to be able to get back in the swing of things.

Love, Izumi


	2. Chapter 2

The blade came down with incredible speed, and Naruto's breath felt like ice in his throat. He snapped his eyes shut, bracing for the pain.

…

… But the pain never came. Naruto blinked. He saw the katana coming, faster than his eyes could follow. But then why… Another blink and his brain registered how the katana was now embedded in the rogue ninja's chest. Naruto's mouth fell open, body trembling.

For a moment Ueno's bewildered stare matched Naruto's. Then a wave of fiery pain passed through his body and a garbled scream of rage erupted from his throat. He stumbled back, choking on blood. He looked wild and untamed now, like a bleeding bear caught in a trap.

"YOU!" His voice roared through the clearing, crazed eyes locking on to a body behind Naruto.

Control returned to Naruto's limbs, though his whole body felt numb. He hoisted himself up to his knees and elbows, and even his bones seemed to rattle with nerves and dull pain. The realization of who Ueno's anger was directed towards made the situation hit Naruto all at once. He felt like puking.

"No… no, Shikamaru-" His voice broke as he turned to see his friend.

Shikamaru was hunched over on his knees, firmly holding on to the hilt of a kunai knife buried deeply into his chest. At Ueno's yell, he lifted his head and smiled, one eye clenched shut in pain.

"Thanks for… giving me… the idea." A line of blood leaked from Shikamaru's mouth as he spoke. His voice was barely above a whisper, but it rang out clear to the furious rogue ninja.

Ueno ripped the sword out of his body with a sickening twist, blood spurting out and coating the blade. He choked on more blood bubbling up to his mouth as he toppled over to his knees.

"Filthy… Leaf…" Ueno held his wound, gasping for breath. "When did you…"

"You really… talk too much." Shikamaru's voice was weaker than before, and his breathing became ragged. But he smirked all the same. "That hubris… Will be the death… of you…"

Naruto's eyes were wide in disbelief. His mouth was dry, voice hoarse when he tried to speak. Suddenly Shikamaru seized and teetered forward on his knees, hitting the ground face first. Naruto's body stopped shaking, and he scrambled to his feet, shooting towards his friend.

"Shikamaru!" He called out, lifting the boy up by his shoulders and gently turning him over face forward. Naruto released a small shaky breath, relieved that the fall hadn't pushed the kunai in any deeper. His face quickly grew grim once more as he looked at his friend's unresponsive face. Dirt and blood smeared the boy's otherwise pale features. _"His lips are too white…"_ Naruto bit his lip in a panic. Supporting Shikamaru's shoulders, he shook him. Anger mingled with the terror in his voice. "What were you thinking?! Why the hell would you do that? C'mon Shikamaru… You've gotta stay awake." His voice broke, tears prickling his throat.

"Idiot." Ueno spat. He looked at the pair from his crumpled position on the ground. With the blood around his mouth, his smile looked even more manic. "You've… killed yourself for your friend… How… noble. " He managed one choking laugh and stabbed his sword into the ground, attempting to use it as a post to hoist himself from. "What a pity…"

Naruto bristled with anger, face glued to Shikamaru's twitching form. The boy opened his eyes with great effort. His breathing came out wheezy and shallow.

"Get back… the village." Shikamaru's exhausted gaze had an urgency about it that made Naruto's stomach twist. "Backup… don't fight."

"I can't just leave you here!" Naruto shouted. Tears clouded his eyes. "Not after you…"

Shikamaru's face scrunched up in pain. Naruto thought he turned a shade paler. "-ruto…" Even in such a weakened state, Naruto could tell by the tone in the Nara's voice that he was irritated with him.

"I'm not going anywhere." Naruto replied firmly. His own body betrayed his confident sound, however, as his arms trembled just with the effort of holding Shikamaru up. The effects of the battle with Ueno's cronies and now Ueno were wearing on Naruto. He wasn't sure how long he could keep fighting. But he couldn't possibly move Shikamaru in this state.

Naruto's eyes flitted back up to where Ueno was still struggling to pull himself back up to his feet. Occasionally the rogue ninja would look towards them and smile, giggling hysterically. Naruto pulled Shikamaru toward himself protectively.

Shikamaru's eyelids were heavy. Staying awake was proving very difficult and painful. He found that he couldn't draw a full breath anymore, and the shallow gasps he had to utilize instead were making him dizzier than the blood loss. Soon he couldn't force himself to keep his eyes open any longer. His body pulsated with pain and he was quickly losing any control over his limbs. As his lids drooped, it felt almost as if some force were pulling him down, swallowing him.

"Shikamaru..?" Naruto turned his attention back to his friend right as his eyes closed. "H-Hey, c'mon, just hang in there! Backup is on its way, right?" When he received not even a twitch of comprehension from Shikamaru, Naruto felt icy fear grip his heart. "Sh… Shikamaru." He mumbled, shaking him again. No response. The icy fear blazed into a blind panic. "Shikamaru! _Shikamaru!"_ His fingers gripped the Chuunin vest tightly. "You've gotta open your eyes! _Please_! C'mon! Don't do this, not after saving me, you can't-!" Naruto's ramblings turned into blubbering gibberish as tears streamed down his face.

Ueno had shrunk down to his forearms, still holding his blade with a futile loosening grip. At Naruto's wails, he looked up with a satisfied grin. "I told him… he would die here…"

Those words flipped a switch in Naruto. His quivering shoulders suddenly froze. The air pulsed with energy, temperature seeming to rise. A red outline began to trace itself around Naruto's body, covering him like a second skin. Ueno's smile immediately snapped down to a frown as he saw and felt the energy shift around Naruto.

" _Is that… red chakra?"_ He nearly choked. " _It… It can't be..!"_

Naruto's head slowly turned back to look at Ueno. The man's heart skipped with fear as he saw blood red eyes and angry fangs staring back at him. A picture of the Nine-Tailed Fox jumped into Ueno's mind, mirroring Naruto's own expression. He was overcome with the urge to flee, and adrenaline pushed him back up to his knees.

Naruto laid Shikamaru down on the grass. As he fully stood up, the Nine-Tails' chakra swirled around him. He turned towards Ueno, nostrils flaring and jaw clenched in wild anger. Tears sizzled off of his face in the heat. Ueno's mouth hung open stupidly, limbs trembling. The growl that rumbled from Naruto's chest was nothing short of primal. He began walking towards Ueno with heavy steps, and the older man tried to scramble away.

"Naruto!" A new voice sounded behind them. The Fox's chakra abated slightly at hearing this voice, though Naruto's eyes were still glued to his adversary.

In the blink of an eye, Leaf Jounin surrounded Ueno. His terrified expression melted down to a glare as his eyes jumped from person to person.

"Naruto..." The voice behind him was closer and softer now. He felt a hand grab his wrist firmly. "Calm down."

At the contact, the last of the red chakra faded and his body relaxed. Naruto blinked, his eyes back to the normal blue, and looked behind his shoulder. "Kakashi-sensei…"

The sudden release of red chakra allowed Naruto's body to feel every inch of pain and exhaustion from the fight. The boy stumbled forward as he felt his knees buckle, and Kakashi quickly grabbed him by the shoulder to keep him upright. Kakashi's gaze held a rare softness as he released Naruto's wrist and put the hand on his other shoulder too. "Are you alright?"

About to answer mechanically, the gravity of the situation washed over Naruto. A surge of adrenaline and worry shot through his legs, forcing them upright, and he turned around to look at his sensei.

"Sensei, Shikamaru, please-! You have to get him to the hospital, it's really bad, he's dying-!" Naruto's voice cracked and more tears welled up in his eyes.

Kakashi glanced around to look at Shikamaru, who was currently surrounded by a small team of medics. His eyes narrowed dangerously. He spared a quick glance at Ueno as well, who was still trapped in a circle of Leaf Jounin. Then his gaze went back to Naruto, who was looking at him in expectation.

"The medics are looking him over right now." Kakashi assured his student. "They will do whatever they can for him."

Naruto was looking back at Shikamaru again, and it deeply disturbed Kakashi to see the guilt and sorrow on the young boy's face. There was a movement among the medics as someone stood up. Naruto only now noticed the green vest amongst all the white medical robes, and his heart did a backflip when he realized it was Asuma.

Asuma stared down at Shikamaru's prone form for a long time. Slowly, he turned to face the same way as Kakashi. Naruto scoured his face, hoping to find some clue as to whether Shikamaru would be okay or not. Unfortunately, the Jounin's face did little to relieve Naruto in any way.

He hadn't considered that any of the other Jounin sensei would be in bingo books like Kakashi, but seeing Asuma's face as he looked at Ueno made Naruto rethink that. There was such a quiet murderous rage in Asuma's eyes, such tension in his jaw, that he looked every bit the dangerous elite ninja he was. Naruto found himself shaking in fear. He barely noticed the Jounin moving forward until one of Kakashi's hands left his shoulder.

"Asuma, don't." Kakashi said lowly, almost a whisper. His hand shot out faster than Naruto could follow to grab Asuma by the wrist. Naruto was stunned to notice a knuckle blade clenched firmly in the hand Kakashi grabbed. It was whirring with chakra. _When did he pull it out?_

"You know you can't." Kakashi continued.

Asuma's shoulders rose and tightened, pulling on Kakashi's hold for barely a second, before he released the tension with a breath. Chakra left the blade and Asuma quickly sheathed it. He tore his arm out of Kakashi's grasp.

"I'm sorry." Kakashi offered.

Meanwhile, the medics chattered away to each other, pulling various instruments out of their bags and carefully taking out the kunai deposited in Shikamaru's chest.

"Sarutobi…" Ueno smiled knowingly. Asuma looked at the rogue ninja with a hardened expression, eyes flitting down to the wound on his chest. "Are you going to kill me?"

"You don't deserve something so quick." Asuma finally spoke, voice coarse but unwavering. "No, you'll be taken back to the village for extensive questioning."

Ueno hacked up blood when he attempted a laugh. "My operation… doesn't stop… at my capture. My men-"

"Your coup does stop here, actually. We know all about your plan." Asuma interrupted, the smallest of smiles twitching on his lip. Ueno immediately frowned. "You probably didn't think you'd be beaten by a Nara, did you?"

Ueno scoffed, anger rising on his face. "That boy? I'm shocked he isn't dead already."

Something dangerous glinted in Asuma's eyes for a moment before he reined it back in. "That boy…" He said slowly. "Has beaten you at every turn. He is already twice the ninja you are."

The medical team rose, one of them carrying a bandaged Shikamaru in his arms. "We've done what we can here, but he needs Lady Tsunade. We can't keep his heart going without the proper equipment."

"Let me carry him." Asuma insisted, walking back to the white-clad group of shinobi. Hesitating for a moment, the medical ninja nodded and slid Shikamaru into his sensei's hold. Asuma cradled his student's body carefully, and followed the group as they sped off toward the village.

As if finally succumbing to his grief and exhaustion, Naruto crumpled forward. Kakashi quickly grabbed him and hoisted the young shinobi onto his back. "Restrain the rogue!" He ordered the group of Jounin who surrounded Ueno. They nodded in tandem and closed in around the man.

"We head back to the village immediately."

* * *

 **A/N:**

This story idea actually first popped into my head when I was rewatching Naruto almost a year ago. It was the episode where Gaara snuck into the hospital to finish Lee off after their match, and Shikamaru and Naruto caught him. Naruto punched Gaara in the face while Shikamaru held him with his shadow, so Shika chided him because he could feel everything Gaara could while they were connected. "HMMMM" I said. And thus the plot bunny was born.

I'm not 100% sure of the rules considering this flaw in the Nara shadow possession, but for the sake of the fic I sort of just ran with the "enemy's damage is completely my damage" idea. If that's seriously wrong, then I apologize. But bear with me for the sake of the story, hah.

Anyway, please let me know what y'all think! I appreciate all the thoughts and input.


	3. Chapter 3

Shikaku dashed to the hospital as soon as he received information that they were back. He tried his best not to run in the hospital halls to the room where they were going to operate on Shikamaru. He turned the corner just in time to see them wheel his son in on a gurney. His throat tightened painfully. The second that it took for them to push past him felt like an eternity. He stood stone still, eyes locked to his boy. There was so much blood seeping through the bandages on his chest. His face was smeared with blood and dirt. He was lying too still, looked too fragile… like a pale glass doll. Then Shikaku blinked and Shikamaru was whisked away into the operating room.

All he could hear was his own heart beating in his ears for one harrowing moment. When he felt movement come back to his limbs, Shikaku fell back on one of the benches lining the walls. He glanced to the red light that flicked on, and clasped his hands together.

"Shikamaru…" He muttered, voice thick with too many emotions to count. Minutes ticked by. Shikaku tried to stop himself from glancing at the clock. It only made time move slower.

Rounding the corner, Inoichi feared the worst when he saw Shikaku sitting with his head down on the bench. He skidded to a halt in front of his friend. "Shikaku-! I came as soon as- is he- are they-" Heart bouncing around too much to form a single question, Inoichi's desperate eyes searched his friend's form. Shikaku raised his head to look at him. Inoichi's heart wrenched painfully at seeing such a hopeless look in Shikaku's face.

"They're operating." Shikaku fidgeted with his fingers. His voice was composed. "Don't know anything else."

Inoichi put a hand to his rapid heart in relief. At least the boy was still alive… For now. The bright red light of the operating room reminded him that nothing was yet certain. He sat down by Shikaku and put his hand on the man's shoulder. He opened and closed his mouth many times, attempting to think of something comforting to say. _Lady Tsunade is doing the best she can for him… I'm sure he'll pull through; he's strong… Try not to beat yourself up…_ But all those ideas sounded hollow and insincere, even in his head. Inoichi couldn't imagine the pain Shikaku must be feeling. If it were Ino in that operating room, barely alive… Well. Nothing anyone could say would make it feel better.

Not long after Inoichi arrived, Choza's sizeable form appeared in the hallway. Choji walked quickly in front of his dad. His eyes were wide with fear, and already glistening with tears. He broke down as soon as he saw Shikaku.

"Mr. Nara, I'm s-so sorry!" Choji wailed, bowing deeply in front of Shikaku. Tears dripped to the floor. "I knew that guy would be strong… But I didn't know… I thought… I never should have left Shikamaru! Please f-"

"Choji." Shikaku's voice was very soft. The boy looked at him, red-rimmed eyes confused and hurt. "... Shikamaru gave you an order to return to the village, didn't he?"

That seemed to catch Choji off guard. "Well… yeah, but…"

"And you trusted his order. Even though it may have seemed crazy." Shikaku smiled gently. "Shikamaru is lucky to have a friend like you. Thank you for trusting him."

Choji sobbed at the praise, covering his eyes with an arm. His dad patted him on the shoulder. "Come now, Choji… Those tears won't help anyone right now."

Choji nodded, trying to stifle his sobs in one final snort. More sandals sounded behind them.

"It's a good thing Shikamaru sent you when he did, Choji." Asuma's voice wafted in.

"Asuma-sensei..." Choji looked up at hearing his teacher's voice. Kakashi was walking beside Asuma. Both of them looked grave.

"Do you know anything yet, Shikaku?" Kakashi asked.

Shikaku shook his head. "No."

Asuma looked at the red light of the operating room, insides twisting. Suddenly he really wanted a cigarette. He sat on the bench opposite Shikaku and Inoichi. Asuma could tell by the look on Choji's face that he was wrestling with guilt and worry.

"It's not your fault, Choji." He continued softly. Choji didn't make eye contact with him. "If you or any more people had stayed, it's very likely there would have been more of you in the hospital. Or worse. It looks like it was already a close call with Naruto."

Choji's head snapped up, suddenly remembering his blonde teammate. "Naruto-! Is he okay? Where-?"

"He's going to be alright, Choji." Kakashi assured him, hands in his pockets. "I brought him back myself. He's in a room upstairs."

Choji looked relieved, and smiled weakly. "That's good to hear."

Asuma looked straight ahead at Shikaku, who now had his arms folded and his eyes closed. The creases on his face betrayed his calm exterior.

"He bested Ueno."

Shikaku's eyes opened. He looked up at Asuma with a guarded expression. There was a hush in the hall.

"Honestly, I don't know if the man will live long enough to be questioned. He was on his last legs when we found him." Something like pride swelled in Asuma's chest, and he smiled. "Your son is a fantastic shinobi."

The surprise on Shikaku's face slowly melted into a peaceful smile. "I know…" He looked at Asuma, eyes shining. There was pain in his voice. "Thank you, Asuma."

Another second ticked by, and the red light above the operating room door switched off. Shikaku stood up immediately, followed by Inoichi and Asuma. The silence was heavy and palpable.

Tsunade pushed the double doors open, her eyes sharp. She took in all the anxious faces in the hall, straying an extra second longer on Shikaku's. His expression was somber but brave, as if trying to prepare himself for the worst outcome. _Truly an experienced ninja,_ Tsunade thought.

"Shikaku, Asuma, Kakashi. My office."

Kakashi and Asuma nodded, almost in synchronization. Shikaku kept his eyes fixed on Tsunade, his expression turning graver. His heart felt like it might explode in his chest.

She made to move forward when Choji intercepted her. "L-Lady Tsunade… is he…?" Fresh tears were already running down his face.

Tsunade put a hand on Choji's head. For a moment, he couldn't breathe. Then she broke into a soft smile. "Shikamaru will live."

Choji broke into a fresh set of sobs and pulled Tsunade into a hug before he realized what he was doing. She giggled as Choza pried him off of her. Kakashi's visible eye crinkled into a smile.

Asuma grinned ear to ear. " _'Atta boy, Shikamaru!"_

Shikaku felt like he had finally come up for air after being submerged underwater. His heart still pounded mercilessly in his chest, but mixed with the pain was a relief the size of which he'd never felt. His knees almost gave out from under him. Inoichi clapped his friend on the back with a happy laugh.

Tsunade's tone became serious again. She cleared her throat. "You three. My office."

Shikaku straightened up, pinching the bridge of his nose and drawing in a breath to steady himself. Kakashi and Asuma followed after the Hokage as she walked away, and Shikaku quickly joined them.

Choza squeezed his shoulder reassuringly as he walked away. "I'll stop by and let Yoshino know."

The older Nara gave him a tired smile. "Thank you, Choza."

Choji was still blubbering incoherently by his father. Shikaku heard Inoichi suggest: "Why don't you come back to our place? I'm sure Ino would love to hear the news from you, Choji."

Choji's ecstatic affirmation was muffled as Shikaku walked from listening distance. The journey up to the Hokage Tower was a silent one, and Shikaku couldn't help but notice. That could be a bad sign…

" _She said Shikamaru would live… but she left it vague."_ His stomach lurched again at the possible complications, but he forced his brain to slow down. _"My son is alive. I should be grateful for that right now. No use getting ahead of myself."_

Shikaku closed the door behind him as they entered Tsunade's office. She fell into her chair, heaved a big sigh, and then addressed them all. "I will admit I'm more than interested to hear what happened. Operating on Shikamaru was… troubling."

Shikaku's eyes narrowed. "Troubling?"

There was anger in her face that Shikaku found peculiar. "Because… though there were many injuries on his body, the most severe was a deep stab wound in his chest from a kunai knife."

Kakashi remembered the doctors pulling a kunai from the boy's chest on the battlefield. "Aside from the obvious… what was so troubling?

Tsunade laced her fingers together and put her elbows on the desk. "It was self-inflicted."

Shikaku's mouth fell open. A moment later he put a hand to his chin, brain spinning.

Asuma's eyes widened. "What?"

"Not to doubt your expertise, Lady Hokage, but are you certain?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes, I am." Tsunade was nothing if not confident. "Do either of you have any idea what might have happened?" Her gaze lifted between Kakashi and Asuma.

"You probably know just as much as we do, Lady Tsunade." Asuma sighed. "By the time we got there Shikamaru was already in bad shape. But so was Ueno. He was practically bleeding out."

"… Did the wound happen to mirror Shikamaru's?" Shikaku piped up.

Asuma was thoughtful. "Yeah… It did look to be similar."

"Lady Hokage, I haven't seen Ueno myself since his capture…" Shikaku continued, face darkening. "But it seems possible Shikamaru injured himself while connected by shadow to Ueno in a last ditch effort to subdue him."

Tsunade's face lit up in understanding. "I see…" She closed her eyes. "Why he felt like he had to something so drastic…."

"I think I can answer that, milady." Kakashi said. "When we arrived to retrieve them, Naruto was… furious. So much so that the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra began to materialize around him. If we came any later, I'm not sure I would have been able to stop him." His eyes closed. "I've only seen him get that angry once before.." A picture of Sasuke riddled with Haku's senbon needles flashed in his mind. "And it was when he thought a teammate had died for him."

Heavy silence filled the room for a moment as understanding came to the group. "So he did it to protect Naruto. Ueno must have had him cornered…" Asuma mumbled. "Shikamaru isn't usually prone to those kinds of actions."

Shikaku smiled sadly. _"What a brave man you're becoming, son…"_

"Speaking of Naruto…" Said Tsunade. "I instructed Shizune to let me know as soon as he wakes up. There was something else… troubling." The three Jounin stood back at attention. "In addition to the kunai wound, there was a large circular burn on Shikamaru's chest." Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "I've seen that particular burn myself, many times. It was unmistakably from the Rasengan."

Kakashi stepped forward, visible eye wide in shock. "The Rasengan? But Naruto wouldn't-"

"I know he wouldn't. Not if he could help it. That's why I suspect foul play."

"Perhaps, like the kunai wound… it was a result of Shikamaru being attached to Ueno." Shikaku folded his arms, frown deepening.

"Ueno has a powerful paralysis of his own, right?" Asuma asked. His lip twitched in disgust, and he felt another sudden need for a cigarette. "I'd bet anything Naruto had no idea the bastard was attached to Shikamaru."

"How foul." Tsunade spat, leaning back in her chair. "I suppose that sounds the most plausible, doesn't it..."

"What now, Lady Tsunade?" Kakashi ventured.

She looked at Shikaku. "Has someone gone to inform Yoshino?"

"Yes." The Jounin nodded. "Choza offered to do it."

"Good… Well, you have been through a lot. Got home and get some rest." Shikaku opened his mouth to protest but Tsunade put a finger up to stop him. "Don't worry, I'll have someone notify you immediately when he wakes up. He's stable now, but will likely be unconscious for some time. No use forcing yourself to stay here waiting."

"Yes ma'am…" Tsunade could tell he wasn't thrilled with the idea. "Thank you." He bowed low. "My thanks to you two as well." He nodded to Kakashi and Asuma, who smiled encouragingly back. Shikaku pivoted around and left the room.

"What's Ueno's status currently?" Tsunade asked immediately after Shikaku left. "Since I've been operating, I haven't heard much."

"The team took him without difficulty." Kakashi said. "Thanks to Shikamaru, he was hardly able to put up much of a fight. Unfortunately, that also means he has to wait to be questioned. From the brief report I received from Ibiki after leaving Naruto with the medics, Ueno's wound was poisoned as well."

Asuma and Tsunade exchanged looks of surprise. "Did Shikamaru somehow…?"

"Unlikely." Kakashi shook his head. "After what we've gathered here, I would venture to guess that Ueno's blade was poisoned. So when Shikamaru injured himself…"

"I see…" Tsunade mumbled. Her fingers were tapping on the desk. "I suppose some medics will have been dispatched to remove the poison." She caught the way Asuma's face turned into a scowl and sighed. "I know… I would be happier if we could let his own poison kill the bastard. But we need information."

* * *

Naruto blinked awake slowly, white ceiling blurring into focus. His mind was foggy. This wasn't his ceiling… didn't feel like his bed… but it was familiar.

"Naruto…?" A soft voice murmured at his side. He glanced to his left and found a concerned pair of green eyes looking at him.

"Sakura…" Naruto's voice was hoarse and froggy. He must have slept for a while. The boy suddenly became aware of bandages covering most of his hands and torso. "What…" Realization washed over Naruto like a bucket of ice. He shot up so quickly it made Sakura gasp and jump from her seat. The sleepy haze in his eyes vanished in an instant.

"You shouldn't move like that." Sakura pleaded. "You'll aggravate your-!"

"Shikamaru!" Naruto interrupted.

"Wha-" He was looking at her with such a terrified sense of urgency she'd never seen in Naruto before.

"How is he? Did they get him back in time? Is he… Is he-!"

"Just relax Naruto, please." Sakura urged her teammate, attempting to push him back into a more reclined position. But when she saw the grief in his eyes, she knew he wouldn't let her go without telling him something. "I don't know much about all of it… They won't give me the specifics." She muttered the last part, as if flustered. "But Shikamaru is alive."

Naruto's face was frozen in the same fiery grief for a moment before he blinked, mouth hanging open. Slowly, his mouth curved into a whimpering smile. He sank into his pillow and wiped a latent tear from his eye.

"Thank God…" His eyes were closed for so long Sakura thought he might have drifted back to sleep. Just when she was leaning in to call him and see if he'd respond, his eyes opened. She was startled again, if by nothing else than the grave look on his face.

Naruto turned to Sakura again. "You said you don't know much. How bad is he?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"If he wasn't that bad, they wouldn't have a problem telling his friends." Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Less information means it's serious, right?" Of course, he didn't have to be told it was serious. He was there. For one horribly long moment on the battlefield, he was sure that…

Sakura looked impressed. This wasn't the bumbling Naruto she was used to at all. It seemed like his various hospital visits had given him some perspective.

She sighed. "Like I said, I don't know exactly… but he's not great." Her expressive green eyes were sad. "I overheard that he's stable now, but that doesn't guarantee anything…"

Naruto's face furrowed into an uncharacteristically somber frown, and Sakura immediately felt a pang of regret for being so blunt with him.

"But… he will live." She encouraged him, smiling. "Lady Tsunade is the best healer around. No matter how bad of shape he may be in, she'll help him get better."

Naruto didn't respond, instead looking down at his hands resting atop the blanket. Sakura thought he looked as if in a trance. That look unsettled her even more than his sadness.

"So, Naruto… how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay." He nodded. "How long have I been asleep?"

"About a day. Kakashi-sensei brought you in yesterday afternoon."

The natural light from the window that filled Naruto's room told him that it couldn't be too late in the day.

"What about that guy Ueno?"

"His coup has been dismantled." Sakura nodded. "It's crazy how close they were to the village. If you guys hadn't apprehended him…"

"It was all Shikamaru." Naruto muttered. He turned his hands over to look at his bandaged palms. "I was only in the way..."

"Naruto…" Sakura's brow furrowed in concern, then sharpened in determination again. "That's not true. You took on a whole pack of his goons, didn't you? There's no way Shikamaru would have been able to hold them all off on his own. I know that you did everything you could to help him defeat Ueno."

Shame twisted into Naruto's stomach. He bit his lip. _"So they haven't told her… then again, I wonder if anyone really knows… since Shikamaru is unconscious."_

"Naruto…?" Sakura put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, are you alright? This isn't like you… Did something happen during the mission?"

Naruto really considered telling her for a minute. Then he imagined a concerned Sakura telling Kakashi, and Kakashi telling Tsunade… soon the whole village would find out exactly what happened. Somehow that thought was unbearable. He'd gotten used to being scorned by the adults of the village for being the Nine-Tailed Fox's jinchuuriki, but if everyone knew he attacked a comrade… made him almost kill himself… Well, he didn't think he could handle that sort of retribution. Being branded a traitor brought a whole new level of fear into Naruto's stomach.

So he lied.

"No… I'm okay, Sakura. Really." He flashed a closed eye smile at her. "Just tired… And worried about Shikamaru." At least that part wasn't a lie.

Sakura didn't look like she fully believed him, but Naruto looked so vulnerable she couldn't bring herself to get upset with him. "I know… I'm worried about him too. But all we can do now is wait for him to wake up."

"Yeah…" He suddenly noticed a few very beautiful orange flowers by his bedside. "Oh… Did… Did you bring those, Sakura?"

She smiled. "Mmhmm. Ino helped pick them out."

Naruto's face got hot and anything eloquent or profound he had to say disappeared from his brain. He rubbed the back of his head anxiously. "Wow… T-Thanks a lot…"

"Don't mention it." Sakura smiled. "I'm going to tell the medics you've woken up. But I'll be back to visit soon. I'll tell Kakashi-sensei so he can come see you too." She stood up from her chair.

"Oh, okay."

"Get lots of rest, okay? I know how you overdo it."

"Yes ma'am…"

"Bye Naruto." With one last smile and a wave, Sakura walked briskly out the door, leaving Naruto in what he considered the worst place of all: alone with his thoughts.

He didn't have long to be alone, though. Right when his brain was starting to whirl in fear, the door opened and a nurse walked in. She looked him over and asked him some basic questions. ("Do you feel any sort of pain in your shoulder? Or your hands? Is it sharp or dull? Do you have full mobility of your limbs?) Just when she smiled at him and told him he was recovering quickly, the door opened again. Naruto was surprised to see Tsunade enter the room. The sharp look in her eyes made him queasy.

"Lady Hokage." The nurse bowed.

Tsunade nodded back, eyeing Naruto for a moment. "His chart?"

The nurse immediately handed her the clipboard she had been scrawling notes on. Tsunade scanned the article, flipping a page and allowing the room to settle into silence for fifteen seconds.

"I was just telling him that he is recovering quite well."

"Yes, he is." Tsunade responded without much enthusiasm. That wasn't much of a surprise to Naruto. Tsunade knew about the rapid healing Naruto possessed due to the Fox. "You may leave us for now. Good work."

"Milady." The nurse bowed deeper then exited the room.

Tsunade crossed her arms, scrutinizing eyes flitting over the young ninja. "What happened?"

Naruto twitched and looked down at his sheets. Somehow he knew exactly what she was talking about. "… I didn't know."

"You can imagine my surprise at finding the Rasengan's mark on Shikamaru while examining him. Now, what happened?

"Grandma Tsunade, I swear I had no idea what was going to happen to Shikamaru!" Naruto's head popped up, eyes pleading. "You have to believe me, I would never-!"

"I know you wouldn't." Tsunade interrupted, but her voice was soft. "I believe you. So I need to know what really happened."

Her affirmation slowed Naruto's rapid heart. He swallowed hard and looked back at the Hokage with as much courage as he could muster. "Shikamaru was fighting Ueno. I was busy with his cronies for a while… But then as soon as I was done, I ran over to help him."

Tsunade listened to Naruto's story without interruption, arms folded and brow creased in thought. Naruto crawled out from under his bed sheets and sat crisscross at the foot of the bed as he talked through what happened. Tsunade studied the guilt and fear in the boy's eyes, not missing how he kept looking down at his hands and clenching them angrily.

"… Grandma?" Naruto ventured quietly. Tsunade had been silent for a long enough time after he finished to make him nervous.

" _What an ordeal these boys have been through…"_ She pondered. At his quiet call, her eyes made contact with his again. "Sounds like quite the battle. You're lucky to be alive."

Naruto flinched at that. "Is… Is Shikamaru going to be okay, Grandma Tsunade?"

She nodded. "He survived the oper-"

"I know he's alive." Naruto interrupted. "Sakura told me. But… is he going to be _okay_?"

Tsunade's eyebrows rose in surprise. She wasn't expecting such a question from Naruto. "Why do you ask that?"

He looked far too wearied for a thirteen-year-old boy in that moment. "C'mon, Grandma… you know better than I do. You're a medical ninja. Being alive isn't the same as being okay."

Tsunade's face softened with sadness. Countless images of permanently crippled ninja filled her mind. "You're right…" A smile grew on her face. "But Shikamaru will be okay. He's alive… and after spending time in recovery, he will be okay."

Naruto looked at her hopefully. There was still such sadness in his eyes that Tsunade knelt down to be at eye-level with him. She put her hands on his shoulders. "You didn't kill him, Naruto."

Naruto's shoulders shook violently under Tsunade's hands, and it took every manner of self-control for him to not burst into tears. Tsunade leaned forward and pecked him on the forehead. He recoiled a bit at the touch, looking up at her with a confused pink face. She smirked back at him then flicked his forehead right where she kissed him.

"Ow!" He rubbed the red spot on his face and glared at her. "What was that for?"

Tsunade giggled. _"That's more like the spitfire I know…"_ She flipped back her bangs with her hand. "Just felt like you needed it."

"You're a real weirdo, Granny Tsunade…"

* * *

Warmth and full pain were the first things Shikamaru's brain processed. A low buzzing sounded in his ears, and he thought he heard a din of muffled voices. It was the strangest sensation… like he was being lifted slowly out of deep water. Sounds and lights became clearer, even as his eyes remained closed. His first few attempts to open them were unsuccessful. He was still too deep. The voices became louder and clearer still.

"Look! … 's moving-!"

"Qui-!... –so loud. You'll… -im."

"Hurr-… La-… -kage!"

He tried to ask who was talking to him, but all that came out was a throaty groan he didn't recognize as his voice. The voices got louder after he did that.

" _Where am I…?"_ His thoughts formed coherently now. _"What… happened…"_ Reaching for answers, his brain tried to remember what happened before being submerged.

Without warning, Shikamaru's mind burst open, memories coming through like water gushing through a dam. He remembered the mission… Ueno… Naruto… The pain. Fully emerged from the water, it was as if all of his senses were new. His body began shaking, and he felt his wounds as though they were fresh. A yell gurgled out of his throat, hoarse and grating. For a sliver of a second the voices around him stopped. Then they grew the loudest yet. He felt hands on his shoulders, pushing back against the way his body thrashed. The voices were sharp and clear now. They kept repeating his name.

"Someone get the Hokage! _Now!"_

"What's happening?!"

"Shikamaru, c'mon… You've gotta calm down. _Breathe_." That voice was closer. Must have belonged to the one holding his shoulders down.

Shikamaru tried to open his eyes again, but they only fluttered enough to be blinded by the bright white lights in the room. Too bright. The face in front of him was blurred. He tried to take a deep breath and his chest _hurt, damn it hurt,_ tightening and cutting off his air. He panicked. _Shit, this hurts. Someone-_ He tried to tell whoever was here how fiery the pain was, but all that came out was a low moan.

"The Hokage is on her way, Shikamaru, just please hang on." The hands on his shoulders tightened. Shikamaru caught a whiff of acrid cigarettes when the person spoke. Wait, cigarettes?

"-suma-" Shikamaru forced the garbled name out of his mouth, gasping.

"Shikamaru…" The way Asuma muttered his name, so full of fear, panicked Shikamaru more than anything else. Asuma's grip on his shoulders was almost painful now.

"Everyone, move aside!" That voice couldn't belong to anyone else but the Hokage.

"Lady Tsunade!" Asuma let go of Shikamaru's shoulders with one last squeeze. "Please-!" His voice was farther away now.

"You three, with me! The rest, out!" Tsunade's voice boomed in the small room. Her shadow loomed over him, and a brighter light shined in his eyes for a moment. He groaned. Tsunade shouted some orders to the other medics and there was a flurry of movement and noise that Shikamaru barely registered. There was too much pain, _too much…_

He felt something slide over his mouth. Then he was pushed back underwater, and the world disappeared.


	4. Chapter 4

"He was really touch and go for a while…"

"It's a miracle he's alive at all."

 _"So I am alive…"_

"It's thanks to your medical expertise, milady. We weren't even sure if he would survive the trip back to the village."

 _"Wonder how long I've been here…"_

"I can't take all the credit. You all performed admirably."

"Thank you, Lady Hokage."

" _Damn, the hospital lights are bright."_ Shikamaru's eyes slowly blinked open. The fingers on his left hand twitched, jarring the IV in his arm.

"Well… looks like he's awake. You can go notify them outside." Tsunade appeared on the side of his vision, smiling. "Shikamaru?"

"Mm." He found his voice a little hard to use.

"How are you feeling?"

"… Dead."

Tsunade chuckled. "Well, it's good to hear you being snarky, little smartass. I'm sure you are feeling more than a little numbness in your body."

"How long-" Shikamaru tried to clear his throat and ended up coughing instead.

Tsunade put a hand on his shoulder. "You've been in the hospital for about five days." Shikamaru's tired eyes widened in surprise. Tsunade nodded. "You were in very bad shape."

Shikamaru wobbled up to his elbows in an attempt to sit up. Every joint felt stiff, and dull pain radiated from his stomach. He grimaced in pain and Tsunade gently pulled him up to a sitting position, propping his pillows behind him. He would've been embarrassed if he weren't so exhausted.

"Well… Feels like I've been asleep for five days…" He mumbled.

Tsunade's mouth twitched up in a smile. "Extended unconsciousness will do that. You'll probably be here for at least another week, so-" His face screwed up into a scowl. "Oh, don't give me that." She pulled at his cheek. "You chose to do something stupid, so you need to live with the consequences. Behave."

"Ow!" Shikamaru groaned as she let go of his cheek. "It's not like I wanted to…" He mumbled, rubbing the sore spot.

Her gaze softened. "I know. Naruto told me."

He straightened up at the mention of his friend. "Naruto? Is he doing alright? Where is he?"

"He'll be fine, Shikamaru." She leaned on a bed railing opposite him. "You just focus on yourself for now."

He eyed her suspiciously, as if she was hiding something. When he opened his mouth to retort, the room's double doors slammed open. Yoshino paused in the doorway for only a moment, shocked eyes taking in Shikamaru's reclining form. Then she slammed into him in a tight hug, arms wrapped around his neck.

"Oof!" Shikamaru felt as if the air was knocked out of him. "Mom..."

"Shikamaru…!" She said his name barely above a whisper, voice breaking. He felt her tears on his face.

Right around his mom's shoulder, Shikamaru could see that Shikaku had entered the room as well. Hands in his pockets, he was smiling kindly at his son. Shikamaru thought he might have seen the glistening of tears in his dad's eyes.

"Mom…" Shikamaru ventured nervously as his mom cried into his neck. Her head snapped up, red-rimmed eyes suddenly furious. He recoiled instinctively.

"If you weren't in the hospital right now, I swear, I would _hit_ you!" She said, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You have no idea how worried we were! When you come home, we are having a _long_ talk-"

Shikaku stepped up and put a hand on his wife's shoulder. "He does still need rest, Yoshino…" Shikamaru silently thanked his dad for the assist.

She steadied herself with a breath and stood up, wiping her eyes. Only then did she seem to notice Tsunade, who was smiling ear to ear on the other side of the room. She bowed deeply. "Oh, Lady Hokage, please excuse me-!"

"Nothing to apologize for." Tsunade waved off Yoshino's apology. "I'll give you some space." She began to walk out the door and paused, turning her head back to Shikamaru with a smile as she opened it. "Oh, but you might be expecting more visitors soon."

There was a loud commotion outside. It sounded like several people were running in the hall.

"What?! He's awake?! SHIKAMARU!"

"Can we see him? We don't have to wait, right?"

"Hey, c'mon guys, no shouting and running in the hospital!"

Shikamaru smiled. His squad.

"Welcome back, son." Shikaku smirked down at him.

"Thanks, dad."

* * *

Naruto clenched and unclenched his fists mechanically, staring through the bandages wrapped around his knuckles. The air was noisy with clinking of medical equipment and sandals on linoleum.

"Naruto?" A familiar voice behind him made the young boy turn around.

"Oh… Choji." He greeted the Akimichi as he approached.

Choji stared nervously into Naruto's clouded blue eyes, usually so vibrant. He had hoped Naruto would be at home resting, but the dark circles under the shinobi's eyes clearly showed that he hadn't slept well for days.

"Are you here to visit Shikamaru too?" Choji asked. At the mention of the shadow user's name, Naruto pulled his eyes away from Choji and back to the ground. Choji's brow knitted together in worry, "… He's been asking about you, y'know. Wants to make sure you're okay."

Choji realized that might have been the wrong thing to say as Naruto's face screwed up into an expression only readable as guilt. He rubbed the back of his head with a hand and then tapped Naruto lightly on the shoulder.

"C'mon. Let's go in together," He offered lightheartedly.

Naruto's back stiffened at the idea, "I-I dunno Choji. I wouldn't want to intrude or something…"

Choji scoffed. "What, is he my girlfriend? C'mon! It'll be fine. I've already seen him since he woke up anyway. You haven't seen him yet right?"

"… No."

" _He really must be feeling bad about everything."_ The young Akimichi thought. "It's not like you to be so down in the dumps. You came here to visit him, didn't you?"

"Well yeah, but-"

"So I'm not gonna let you get out of it. Come on, Naruto." Choji walked toward the gray hospital door in front of them, towing Naruto by the sleeve of his jacket.

"Okay, okay! You don't need to pull me! Jeez!" Naruto yanked his arm away, face flushing. Choji smiled at the energy in his voice. That was more like it.

Choji walked into the room first, almost colliding with a nurse flipping through some papers on her way out. "Oh, hello again," She greeted Choji sweetly, "Another visit so soon? Shikamaru certainly has good friends."

Choji blushed. He swore he could hear Shikamaru chuckling at him from the hospital bed across the room, "Oh, um… Hello."

The nurse stood aside to let them pass. "Come find me if you boys need anything, alright?"

As she let them pass by, her eyes lingered on Naruto. She smiled sadly at the boy as he made eye contact with her. They had all looked at him like that in the hospital lately. He was really starting to hate it.

The door closed behind the nurse as Choji and Naruto approached the bed closest to the window. The curtain was pulled back, and Shikamaru sat up underneath his sheets. He was smirking as they approached, looking out the window.

"I think she has a little crush on you Choji," Came his raspy baritone voice.

"Aw, shaddup!" Choji's face turned a deep crimson.

Shikamaru noticed a shock of blonde out of the corner of his eye and turned his head around. His eyes widened in surprise. Naruto turned his gaze to the floor awkwardly.

"Naruto," The shadow user blinked. Then a familiar smirk settled on to his face. Naruto thought he saw relief in the boy's eyes. "Good to see you. How are the injuries? I asked about you, but no one ever gives you a straight answer in this damn place." Some feeling Naruto couldn't place twisted into his stomach and made him feel sick.

"Y-Yeah, I'm doing good," He answered, smiling in an attempt to be cheery. "Injuries healed up pretty quick. Nothing too bad."

"You've been released for like four days already, haven't you?" Choji asked. Naruto nodded.

Shikamaru groaned, leaning back into his pillow. "How do you always bounce back so fast? I wish I could borrow some of that healing ability. I've had enough of this place for a lifetime."

"Know how much longer you have to stay?" Choji asked, pulling up a nearby chair to sit on.

"No idea." Shikamaru grumbled. He closed his eyes. "They've been telling me about a week more, but who knows..."

"It's a good deal for you, though, right? You basically have permission to sleep all day."

"Yeah, but I'd rather nap under my own terms. In a nice field somewhere I can look at the clouds. Hospitals are a drag. Smells like disinfectant and death in here. Not to mention I have to be all wrapped up like a mummy." Choji snorted with laughter.

Naruto looked at Shikamaru. Bed sheets covered most of his body, but what he could see of the boy's upper half was heavily wrapped in bandages. An IV poked into his left arm. His face was still a little too gaunt and pale, especially when framed by eerily contrasting loose black hair.

Naruto thought of the last time he saw the young Nara. Lying so maddeningly still, kunai buried in his chest, blood staining the grass… Naruto blinked the image away, mouth growing sour. Shikamaru still didn't look like his old self. But seeing him awake… alive…

Naruto blinked out of his reverie as he felt a hard pair of brown eyes staring at him. As Shikamaru held his gaze Naruto realized that Choji had been chatting with Shikamaru for a while as he got caught in his own train of thought. He suddenly felt embarrassed.

Shikamaru frowned deeper, gears turning in his head. Turning his attention back to Choji, he gave his best friend a smile, "Anyway… Thanks for the chips, Choji. Hospital food sucks." He motioned to the bag of BBQ flavored chips now sitting on his nightstand beside an enormous bouquet of flowers Naruto could only assume was from the Yamanakas.

Choji looked from Shikamaru to Naruto a few times before standing up from his chair. He nodded at Shikamaru ever so slightly, then immediately turned around and started walking out of the room.

"Hey, where are you going so soon, Choji?" Naruto asked, surprised at the sudden movement.

Choji threw a cold glare over his shoulder, "Shikamaru, if you don't eat ALL of those chips-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Shikamaru waved him off, "You'll disown me as a fellow human being. Don't worry."

Choji's glare immediately broke into an ear-to-ear smile, "Good! Hey Naruto, keep Shikamaru company for a while would ya? All that's around here are nurses, and you know how he can't talk to women."

"Asshole."

"Love you too buddy! Later!"

"B-But Choji-!" Naruto reached out as the door closed behind his classmate.

For a deafeningly long minute, the two sat in silence.

"Naruto."

Naruto flinched at the seriousness in his friend's voice. He turned his head around to face the young Nara, nervous to meet his eyes.

Shikamaru was frowning. "Are you okay?"

Naruto immediately cast his eyes back to the floor. He didn't know how to answer that question. Physically, he really was fine. Whatever bandages remained on his body were nothing more than reminders to not jump right back into missions yet. The Nine-Tails had made sure the boy healed far quicker than anyone else in his position would have.

But mentally… Naruto clenched his fists. For the past few days, guilt had been burrowing into his heart and stomach so deep he was having trouble even eating. He had been trying to convince everyone he was okay, but Naruto was an open book. Even after Tsunade reassured him that Shikamaru's condition wasn't his fault, that he wasn't a traitor, Naruto still felt a deep lingering guilt that just wouldn't go away. Kakashi and Sakura were the first to notice something was wrong when he was let out of the hospital, and it took a lot of arguing for Naruto to convince them that everything was fine.

Of course, it wasn't.

Kakashi had been there to retrieve Naruto and Shikamaru at the end of their battle with Ueno. He saw Naruto boil over with rage, almost literally. Heard from Tsunade personally what had happened to Shikamaru. The Jounin sensei tried to take Naruto aside and talk him through the ordeal, but the boy remained unusually closed off and stubbornly refused to talk any more about it.

He knew there was nothing his team could really do to alleviate the gnawing feeling in his gut. He knew he had to talk to Shikamaru face to face. And he tried to go visit so many times… When Shikamaru first woke up five days prior, Naruto tried to visit as soon as possible. But seeing all of the Nara's family and closest friends there in the hospital was so much more intimidating than he thought. The merest glimpse of Shikaku and a misty-eyed Yoshino sent Naruto almost running out of the hospital.

"What's wrong?" Shikamaru pressed, becoming worried when Naruto took so long to respond to a simple question. It was worse than he thought.

Something in Naruto broke at that last push. All the frustration and hopelessness and guilt he'd been feeling the past few days pushed up to the surface until he really couldn't hold it in anymore. His head snapped back up, blue eyes blazing with rage as they met Shikamaru's tired face.

"Will you STOP asking me that?" He yelled.

Shikamaru looked stunned. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Naruto's body quivered in anger, "STOP asking me if I'm okay! Why are you so worried about me? I'm not the one who almost died!" His voice broke at the end of the sentence. He felt his throat tighten, eyes welling up with tears. "I'm not the one who… Who got attacked by their own friend! Who _sacrificed_ himself to save that same stupid friend! I'm not… I'm not…" He tried to catch his breath, rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. Tears streamed down his face.

"Naruto…" Shikamaru's voice was just above a whisper, eyes softening as he looked at the sorry state before him. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and shuffled out of his bed sheets. Scooting down to the middle edge of his bed, he motioned to the chair in front of him where Choji once sat. Naruto fell into the chair wordlessly, putting his head in his hands.

Shikamaru laced his fingers together. His stomach knotted uncomfortably. It was unnatural to see Naruto so damn vulnerable. The shadow user worried that his friend might feel guilty for what happened, but this was beyond the scope of what he imagined.

"… I thought you might still feel bad about that." Shikamaru mentioned nonchalantly.

Naruto's head rose again to meet the boy's face. "Feel bad? You almost _died,_ Shikamaru! I almost killed you!"

"No, you didn't." Shikamaru's voice took on a hard edge. "Ueno did."

"But I launched in with the Rasengan without even-"

"How could you have known he had control of me then?" Shikamaru saw Naruto's eyes trying to argue. "Stop trying to convince yourself that you almost killed me. You didn't."

"But it was such a stupid mistake!" Naruto growled. "I should have taken in the situation beforehand. Should've scoped things out. Maybe then you wouldn't have…"

"Do you really think you could have just stood back and watched while that guy beat the crap out of me?"

The question took Naruto by surprise. "Well, I…"

"Sure, further assessment of the situation probably would have helped in the long run. Maybe it would have prevented you from unknowingly using the Rasengan on me." Naruto flinched. Shikamaru sighed. "But if you hadn't intervened then, I probably wouldn't be talking to you right now."

Naruto's red-rimmed eyes looked at Shikamaru in confusion. "But-"

"Naruto, he had me cold. I was severely outmatched. There's no way I could have defeated him on my own." He smirked. "You actually saved me too, y'know."

"Well, I did a pretty crappy job of it…" Naruto grumbled. The end of the battle flashed in his mind. He looked at Shikamaru accusingly. "… If you felt like you had to stab yourself."

Shikamaru groaned and rubbed his temples. "Oh, c'mon. You know I had no other choice-"

"No other choice but to kill yourself? I told you not to do anything stupid! What the hell were you _thinking_?"

"I was thinking that I needed to do whatever I could to keep you alive!"

"What the hell kind of difference would it make if you died to save me, huh? You could have just held him with your shadow so he didn't-"

"He was _stronger_ than me, Naruto." Shikamaru interrupted through gritted teeth. "I couldn't have just held him back. He would have noticed, overpowered me and killed you."

"But-"

"Would you really expect me to just let you die?"

"Of course not, but-"

"Then why do my motives sound so insane to you?"

"Because how could you be so ready to just throw your life away?"

"Because you're my responsibility!" Shikamaru's voice grew to an uncharacteristically loud shout that made Naruto recoil a little. The young Nara ran his hands through his loose hair in frustration before making eye contact with Naruto again. His eyes blazed with tired conviction as he steadied himself with a deep breath. "Do you remember when we returned from the Sasuke retrieval mission?"

Naruto's expression saddened at the mention of his missing comrade, but he nodded all the same. Shikamaru continued. "I remember sitting in the hospital waiting to hear if Choji was _dead_ or not. Thinking about everything wrong I had done. Thinking about the fact that, in addition to failing my first mission as a Chuunin leader, three of my four other squad members were hospitalized for life-threatening injuries."

"But that wasn't your-"

"I was the leader of the mission." Shikamaru pressed. "It wouldn't matter if you guys didn't listen to a single order I gave. I was responsible. … I let my friends down. I let my village down. And I swore that I'd never let it happen again. I can't."

"Shikamaru…" Naruto saw a deep pain hidden in his friend's hooded eyes.

"It was the same for this mission. I was the leader. Even if the enemy was… out of my league." He coughed. "Even if my strategies were questionable… at best." He coughed again. "The least I could do was… make sure my teammate…" The end of Shikamaru's sentence dissolved into a fit of hacking coughs that rattled his ribs.

"Shikamaru?" Naruto sat up in alarm, leaning over to put a hand on his friend's shoulder. The coughs shortly subsided, leaving Shikamaru panting with a hand on his chest. "Hey, you alright? Should I get someone?"

Naruto saw a thin sheen of sweat on the other boy's face as he attempted to smirk and swipe Naruto's hand away. "I'm okay… Just… a little tired."

Naruto frowned. He did look tired. And far more than the usual comically bored expression familiar to the Nara. The bags under his eyes were dark, and his shivering body language told Naruto that his friend still had a lot of healing to do before he could get back to normal. Naruto felt a twinge of nervous guilt for letting his anger get the best of him.

Shikamaru could feel the boy's worried blue eyes on him. He clenched his hands in his fabric of his pants in an attempt to get them to stop shaking. _"So much for trying to convince him you're okay, idiot."_ He chided himself. Naruto was the last person he wanted to appear weak in front of right now.

"Shikamaru, I…" Naruto wrung his hands together tightly, looking at his friend's quivering form. _"What the hell am I doing, getting mad at him? I'm such an idiot."_ All the anger once in his voice drained out like air from a deflating balloon. "I'm so sorry."

The shadow user was surprised and a little unsettled by the apology. His eyes searched Naruto's hunched form curiously. "Look, Naruto, you don't need-"

"Yes, I do." A determined pair of blue eyes looked up at Shikamaru. "I'm sorry." He repeated the apology with deliberate and sincere softness.

Shikamaru just blinked, unsure what to say. Nausea wormed its way into his gut, and he didn't know if that coughing fit irritated his injuries or if he just never expected to face a truly grateful Naruto.

"I wasn't strong enough to defeat that creep Ueno." Naruto continued. "Even with my new technique. I just rushed in without thinking. And you almost died because of that. So… I'm really sorry." He rubbed his red-rimmed eyes once more. "And I promise that it'll never happen again. Ever. I won't let my power be used against my friends."

Shikamaru let a relieved grin spread across his face as he saw the old fire return to his friend's eyes. He chuckled. "You promise, huh… Well, you never go back on your word, right?"

"No way!" Naruto smiled and gave Shikamaru a thumbs up. "You can count on it. No more feeling sorry for myself. I'll just keep getting stronger."

"I know you will." Shikamaru nodded. "Always making it harder for the rest of us to catch up. What a drag."

"You just don't want to do any extra work."

"Shaddup."

"It's true."

"Never said it wasn't."

Naruto chuckled and watched Shikamaru heave a big yawn and stretch his arms out. The boy winced at the top of his stretch and put his hand reflexively on the bandages covering his chest. Naruto's brow knitted into worry once more before he stood up from the chair.

"I should let you get some rest. Sorry to get you all worked up… Hope I didn't aggravate anything."

"Ah, quit apologizing already. You're freakin' me out." The young Nara worked his way back to the head of his bed, shuffling back into the covers. He smirked at Naruto. "Besides, being all tired from chewing you out just means I'll sleep twice as good now."

"Good." Naruto laughed. He looked at Shikamaru one more time, vulnerability clouding his features. "Get better soon."

"Mmhmm." Shikamaru nodded. He made firm eye contact with the boy once more. "Don't worry, okay?"

Naruto smiled and turned to walk out. His shoulders relaxed as he felt a heavy weight lift off of them. "See ya." He suddenly stopped with one hand on the door. "Oh, and Shikamaru?"

"Hmm?"

Naruto's mouth widened in an ear-to-ear grin. "Thanks for saving me."

Shikamaru smiled too, tired eyes closing peacefully as he settled into his pillow. "Sure. Just don't make a habit of needing me to."

* * *

 **A/N:** Hooray! It feels good to finish my first short story back on FF. I hope everyone is satisfied enough with how this piece ended.

I am personally of the thought that Naruto is very hypocritical in the sense that he's more than willing to lay his life down for his friends, but gets incredibly hurt and upset when someone tries to save him in that way. (Especially pre-Shippuden) And if it was the only way to save his squadmate, I definitely think Shikamaru could be pushed to do something drastic. I think the Sasuke Retrieval Mission really shook him up in that way. Hope I explored that dynamic okay here.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this! I hope to at least have occasional short pieces up in the future. (my longer stories will be a much bigger project).  
Take care!


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